Sheet feeding mechanism



Jan. 10, 1939. F. Fa.l BELLUCHE I 2,143,049

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed sept. le, 1956 fmm' Patented Jan. l0, .1939

PATENT OFFICE SHEET FEEDmG MECHANISM Frank R. Belluche, Racine, Wis.

Application september 16, 1936, serial Ne. 101,094 f 18 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sheet feeding mechanisms for printing machines and the like and refers particularly to the manner in which the sheet is presented to the feed cylinder of a press or other machine.

Printing machines and the like all have some form of front guides against which Ithe leading edges of the sheets are brought to define a registering position. The advancing sheets are momentarily arrested by these front guides and at this instant the grippers take hold of the sheet. Proper registering thus depends considerably upon the eiectiveness of this part of the mechanism, and as a corollary, the speed of operation isldetermined to a great extent upon the eiiiciency and effectiveness Lof the front guide.

With a view toward increasing the speed of operation the sheets in some instances are brought forward tothe press at high speed and then slowed down in some manner so that the actual presentment of the sheets to the front guides is done with the sheets moving at a slow rate of speed. But even with this improvement the sheets still have a tendency to bounce" off of the front guide-as they strike the same, making it extremely diilicult to maintain proper registration at high speeds.

It is therefore an object of this invention to improve the sheet feeding mechanism on printing presses and the like with a View toward assuring proper registration at high speeds by allowing the front guide to move with the advancing sheet for a short distance before the registering position is reached.

More specifically it is an object of this invention to provide a sheet feeding mechanism of the character described wherein a front guide is swung out from its proper registering position to meet an advancing sheet and then slowly returned to its registering position with the sheet engaged therewith so that the frontguide serves both as a slow down means and a guide for proper registration.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly delined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a mechanism embodying this'invention showing the same with n its front guide outwardly of its registering position and just engaged by the advancing sheet;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but with the front guide in its proper registering position; and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the front guide swung out of the path of the sheet.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates the feed cylinder of a printing press or other machine intended to perform work on sheet material which constantly revolves to carry sheets into the machine as they are presented thereto. The sheets are advanced to thecylinder 5 in any suitable manner, as by a tape conveyor 6, so that their forward leadingV edges strike a front guide 1 which is preferably mounted above the cylinder 5 as shown. The front guide 'I may be of any suitable construction and in the present instance consists of a blade or a series of fingers xed to a shaft 8 which is suitably journaled in the side frames of the press, not shown.

The free end of the vfront guide is oscillated by the shaft 8 in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described and may swing outwardly and'inwardly from an intermediate registering position shown in Figure 2. The oscillation of the shaft 8 producing this motion of the front guide is effected by a cam 9 rotating with the cylinder 5 and acting upon a cam follower I0 carried by a lever I I which is fixed to the shaft 8.

The cam 9 has a depression or low point so positioned with respect to the location of the grippers I2 on the cylinder as to enable outward swinging of the front guide toward the advancing sheet just prior to the opening of the grippers I2 which is effected in the customary manner.

Acting against the cam 9 and moving the shaft 8 to swing the front guide outwardly upon the cam follower I0 dropping into the depression of the cam 9 is an expansion spring I3 conned between a fixed abutment I4 and a foot I5 which may be integral with the lever II. Also fixed with respect to the shaft 8 is a short levervIS which in the present instance is shown as part of the lever I I, the outer end of which mounts a pin I1. The pin I1 projects into an elongated slot I8 in a lever I9 which i's pivotally connected as at 20 to a lever 2|, and the lever 2| is pivoted.

as at 22 from a xed support 23. `The levers I9 and 2| in effect form a toggle connection and are so proportioned that when straight and in line as shown in Figure-2,' the inner end of the s lot I8 bearing against the pin I'I holds the shaft 8 in the position at which the front guide is in its proper registering position. 'N

An adjustable stop 24 carried by the vstationary support 23 arrests the downward motion of the lever 2| and defines the position of the toggle connection shown in Figure 2, and a spring 25 confined between part of the `fixed support and the lever 2| and guided by a pin 26, at all times yieldingly urges the toggle connection to its broken position shown in Figures 1 and 3. The action of the spring 25 is opposed by a lever 21 pivoted as at 28 and carrying on its outer end a roller 29 bearing down on the toggle connection above the pivot 20.

The opposite end of the lever 21 mounts a cam follower 30 which rides on a cam 3|. The cam 3| is timed with the advance of the sheet to the front guide and is of such shape that the lever 21 would be actuated to straighten out the toggle connection and move the front guide to its proper registering position in time for the grippers to pick up the sheet.

Operation With the parts in the position shown in Figure 1 the front guide has been swung outwardly from its registering position and the cam 3| is just beginning to move under the cam follower 3U so that during the very next instant the toggle will be straightened out to the position shown in Figure 2 to bring the front guide up slowly to its proper registering position with the leading edge of the sheet in Contact therewith. The motion of the cam, as stated, is timed with the sheet advancing means so that the sheet engages the front guide directly after it has started its movement to proper registering position and while the guide is in motion.

Upon reaching the proper registering position the front guide is momentarily arrested and the grippers close down onto the sheet. Directly thereafter the cam 9 engages the roller` ill and swings the front guide 1 out of the path of the sheet as shown in Figure 3. v

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will" be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, that this invention provides a substantial improvement in actual presentment of sheets to a printing press or other similar machines, and that by virtue of the fact that the front guide is used as a slow down means as well as the guide for determining the proper registering .p0sition, extreme simplicity is assured and as a consequence higher operating speeds are made possible.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine for performing work upon sheet material wherein the sheets as they are presented to the machine are picked up by grippers, means for insuring proper presentation of the sheets to the grippers comprising a front guide with which the leading edges of the sheets engage, said front guide being movable, means for actuating the front guide so that it has first a motion in the direction of the sheet advance and then a period of rest in said predetermined registering position, and means operable on the front guide to dene its registeringrposition.

2. In a machine for performing work upon sheet material, a front guide to properly position a sheet for entrance into the machine, said front guide being movable, means operableon the front guide for defining a definite registering position therefor, means for moving the fro-nt guide toward the advancing sheet and successively returning the front guide slowly to its registering position, means for feeding sheets to the front guide, said means being in timed relation with the motion of the front guide while the front guide is moving in the direction of the sheet movement so` that the sheets are enlarged with the front guide during its latter motion.

3. In a machine for performing Work upon sheet material, a front guide with which the leading edge of a sheet engages, means for operating the front guide to impart a slow motion to the guide in the direction of advance of the sheet as the sheet is being engaged therewith to gradually bring the sheet to rest in a predetermined registering position, whereby said front guide acts both as a slow down and a registering means for the sheet, and means for presenting sheets to the front guide to engage the same while it is moving in the direction of sheet advance.

4. In sheet feeding mechanisms for printing machines and the like, wherein sheets must be brought to a definite registering position before entering.' the machine, a. stop engageable with the leading edge of the sheets before they reach the registering position and movable slowly in the direction of advance of the sheets, means to arrest such motion of the stop at the registering position, whereby said s top serves both as a slow down means and a front guide to define the registering position of the sheet, and means for presenting sheets to the front guide to engage the same While it is moving in the direction of sheet advance. l

5. In a sheet feeding mechanism for printing machines and the like, a front guide, automatic sheet conveying means to feed sheets to the front I guide, means operable on the front guide to define a registering position therefor, said front guide being movable to and from said registering posi-` tion, and means for moving the front guide slow'- ly from a position outwardly of its registering position to the registering position, said means being so timed with the sheet feeding means that the sheets advanced thereby engage the front guide while the guide is moving in the direction of the sheet advance.

6.- Insheet feeding mechanism for printing machines and the like, a front guide, means mounting the front guide to swing through an arc to and from a deiinite registering position, an accurately located stop connected with the front u guide for defining the registering position, means for swinging the front guide from a position outwardly of the registering position back into registering position, and means for presenting sheets to the front guide to engage the same while the front guide is moving toward the registering position.

7. In a sheet feeding mechanism for printing machines and the like, a front guide, means mounting the front guide to swing outwardly and inwardly from an intermediate registering position, means for swinging the front guide outwardly past the registering position, a cam to control the functioning of sai-d means and to swing the front guide inwardly past said registering position, other means for swinging the front guide slowly from its outermost position to' its registering position so as to bring a sheet engaged therewith slowly to its proper registering position, and means for presenting sheets to the front guide to engage the same while it is moving toward its registering position.

8. In a machine for performing work uponl sheet material and including a feed cylinder provided with grippers to grip a sheet and carry the same into the machine, a front guide engageable by the leading edge of the sheet and movable .to

and from a registering position at which it locates the sheet in proper position to be gripped by the grippers, means for defining the registering position of the front guide, means for successively moving the front guide outwardly beyond its registering position and slowly back to its defined registering position, and means for presenting sheets to the front guide to engage the same while it is moving toward its registering position.

9. In a machine for performing work upon sheet materiall having a feed`cy1inder equipped with grippers, a front guide engageable by the leadingA edge of a sheet to stop the same in its proper position to be gripped by the grippers, means mounting said front guide for swinging movement outwardly and inwardly from said proper registering position, cam controlled means for swinging the front guide outwardly toward an advancing sheet, cam controlled means for swinging the front guide slowly back to its proper registering position and subsequently swing the front guide inwardly out of the path of the sheet, and

means for presenting sheets to the front guide to engage the same while it is moving toward its registering position.

10. In a sheet feeding mechanism for printing p machines and the like, a front guide engageable by the leading edge of a sheet, means to move the front guide slowly in the direction of advance of the sheet to a predetermined registering position and then to move the front guide out of the path of the sheet, and means for presenting sheets to the front guide to engage the same while it is moving toward its registering position.

11. In a sheet feeding mechanism for printing machines and the like, a front guide engageable by the leading edge of a sheet, means lfor moving the front guide in the direction of advance of the sheet while the sheet in engaged therewith slowly to a predetermined registering position, means for presenting sheets to the front guide to engage the same while it is moving toward its registering position, means for positively arresting such moe tion of the front guide at said registering positionl so as to properly register the sheet, and means for subsequently moving the front guide out ofthe path o fthe sheet.

- 12. In a sheet feeding mechanism for printing machines and the like, 'a front guide engageable by the leading edge of a sheet, means mounting the front guide for movement outwardly and inwardly in the direction of sheet travel from an intermediate registering position, a toggle connection operating upon the front guide and adapted to move the front guide inwardly to its registering position and to define such registering position, means for advancing a. sheet toward the front guide to strike the same while the front guide is lspaced outwardly from its registering position, and means timed with the advance of the sheet for actuating said toggle connection to movethe front guide to its registering position while the sheet is engaged therewith.

13. In a sheet feeding mechanism for printing machines and the like, a movable front guide, means operable on the front guide for defining a definite registering position therefor, a cam for effecting motion of the front Aguide to its registering position and in the direction of` sheet advance, and means for presenting sheets to the front guide to engage the same while it is moving toward its registering position so that buckling does not occur.

14. In a sheet feeding mechanism for printing machines and the like, a movable front guide, means operable upon the front guide for moving the same from an outermost position to a definite registering position'and successively moving the front guide awayfrom said registering position tively limiting the inward swinging motion of the front guide in a definite registering position. and means for presenting sheets without buckling to the front guide to engage the same while the front guide is in motion toward its registering position. v

16. In a sheet feeding mechanism for printing machines and the like, a front guide, means movably mounting the front guide, normally inoperative means connected with 4the front guide for` defining a definite registering position for the front guide, cam actuated means for simultaneously rendering said last named means operative and for moving the front guide to its registering position, and means for impositively 'feeding sheets Vto the front 'guide to engage the same without buckling while 'itis in motion toward its registering position. 17. In a sheet feeding mechanism for printing machines and the like, av front guide, means mounting the front guide for movement in a de- Vfined path, means connected with the front guide for defining a denite registering position there-g for, yieldable means acting on said last named means to normally hold the same in an inopera-` tive position, other yieldable means acting upon the front guide to urge the same outwardly away from said registering position, and cam controlled means adapted to act simultaneously in opposition to said two yieldable means for simultaneously' moving the front guide toward its registering position and for rendering the means connected with the guide operative to define said registering position.

18. In a sheet feeding mechanism for printing machines and the like, a front guide, means mounting the front guide for movement i'n a defined path, means connected with the front guide l for defining a definite registering position therefor, yieldable means acting on said Vlast named means to normally hold the samein an inoperative position, other yieldable means acting upon the front guide to urge the same outwardly away from said registering position, cam controlled means adapted to act simultaneously in' opposition to said two yieldable'means for simultaneously moving the front guide toward its register ing position and for rendering the means connected with the guide `operative to define said registering position, and means` for feeding sheets to the front guide to engage the same without buckling while ,the front guide is in motion toward its registering position.

FRANK n.. Bmocfm.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRIICIIONa Patent Nm. 2,115,0LL9.. January lo, 1959.

' FRANK R. BELLUC'HE. i

It ishereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as fellows: Page 2, second column, line 5, claim 2, xfor the'word "enlarged" read engaged; page 5, first column,- line 2l, claim 9, for "si/ving" read swinging; line 59,) elaim ll, fr "in" read is; and second vcolumn., lines 9 and lO, claim 1L, strike out the words "without buckling" and insert the same after "guide", line lO, same claim; and that the said Letters Patent should bel read `with l'this correcvtio'n therein that the same may conform tothe record of the case in the'4 Patent Office.

y Signed and sealed this 21st 4day of February, A. D. 1959.

I f `henry Van Arsdale.

(seal) Acting Commissioner of Patentse 

